Written by Ishmam A Ahmed, June 2011

Have a seat. Let’s talk about your future.

Chances are you’re reading this because you’re either very, incredibly, or extremely awesome. Or as many might put it, you have an interest in science. Seeing as you’ve made it through the title and a few sentences, I’d say you’re pretty motivated, disciplined, and maybe even willing to experiment or experience the scientific method. So congrats, give yourself a pat on the back; you’re worthy of reading on.

Once you get involved in it, scientific research becomes a way of life, especially for students like us. A project of any sort requires time, commitment, and an unwavering drive for knowledge. But in most cases, ironically, getting started may be the hardest part.

Whether you enjoy mixing chemicals or cutting up mice, your garage is not the place to do it. For lab-oriented sciences like chemistry and biology, it’s critical to find a suitable facility for your research interest. In other words, you need to find yourself a professional lab. In nearly all cases, joining a lab means convincing a busy, highly successful individual that you’re worth their time, that is, finding a mentor with research interests similar to your own.  But once you’ve got that squared away, either through informational interviews, phones calls, emails, or formal visits, it’s what happens in the lab that really matters.

This is a guide written by a student, for a student. If lab-centered scientific research is within your near future, then the advice, experience, counsel, and anecdotes you find here may prove useful. This is your road map to the laboratory. You’ll find insight on the scientists that work tirelessly therein, tips on how to take advantage of the tools at your disposal, and the ins and outs of an investigative experiment. Once you’ve mastered the setting, there’s no telling how far your research will go.

Are you the next Carver? Edison? Curie? Einstein?
The laboratory may be your gateway to that answer.

Trust me, I’m a scientist.

Walking into my mentor’s lab for the first time was a bit like walking into a foreign country. Even with a solid background as a former AP Biology student and being relatively well-read on the topic of my mentor’s research focus, I only qualified as an unaccustomed immigrant. A better-than-average novice. A fluent tourist.

That's me, momentarily pretending to do science.

Having been part of the lab scene for over a year now, I’ve had the opportunity to work through my very own experiment and have continued onto more. I’ve devoted a considerable amount of time to the lab and still spend about ten hours there each week.

Progress is always being made; knowing that sonic hedgehog is neither blue nor a hedgehog, having made friends among my mentors, and having memorized most of the protocols, I can proudly say that I’m a denizen of the laboratory. Things will only continue to evolve from here.

For me, the enterprise of stem cell research has changed my character. As science fair deadlines approached and time became a commodity, I learned to budget it strictly and efficiently. Even though some sleep and free time were sacrificed, it wasn’t in vain. I achieved an equilibrium between my time spent at school, my time spent commuting, my time spent researching, and my time spent doing homework. It was a hassle at first, but my work ethic and mentality adapted. I was doing exactly what my stem cells were doing: transforming into something better, something more efficient.

This marks the end of the beginning. It’s time to turn our focus to you and your lab experience.

*           *           *

A thing or two on lab attitude.

The laboratory has a distinctive culture, and I’m not talking about cell culture. There’s a certain dynamic, a method of interaction between inhabitants that can’t be found anywhere else. Normally, you’d visualize uptight people in stark lab coats, fiddling with test tubes, and frowning at any semblance of fun.

During my first week at the lab, I realized that this was far from reality. First of all, there was nothing exceedingly formal about the way people dressed. In fact, I was informed that the only enforced dress-code called for closed-toe shoes and long pants. But don’t worry, gloves, goggles, masks, and coats are worn when required (safety first). Secondly, the technicians, postdocs, grad students, and lab aides proved to be surprisingly normal people. For starters, they had lives. And although they didn’t laugh maniacally (with or without accompanying lightning flashes), they had, and continue to have, good senses of humor.

Case in point, this past holiday season resulted in the following Frankensteinian creation at our lab, made from the residual ice beneath the liquid nitrogen tank’s lid:

Even though the people in my lab did not, fortunately, embody my expectation of introverted, quirky lab rats, there remains a distinct charm in the way they interact. Namely, it seems that everyone is implicitly critical of each other. For example, even though there’s no definite, correct way to attach a tip to a pipette aid, as the trainee, I was prone to biased instruction from pros, who insisted that their way was the right way. The same goes for numerous other nuances.

From my time in lab so far, I have identified a friendly, understood distrust between lab members. Since everyone is doing different things at different times with the same equipment, needless interference is harshly looked down upon, but usually manifests in nothing more than a false smile or fleeting expression of annoyance. That said, be sure not to get on anyone’s bad side.

Although the lab has a unique vibe, it’s your job to embrace it. At first, it will be difficult to assimilate. But include yourself in conversation whenever you can and be sure to ask plenty of questions. In no time, you’ll be part of the machine too.

Lab rats or lab personnel, call ‘em what you want.

Lab rats come in a variety of flavors. Each member of a lab has a unique role, with differing levels of experience, differing levels of commitment, and differing areas of expertise. Although you might be at the bottom of the food chain during your first visits to the lab, it’s critical to know who’s responsible for what. On a typical safari through your lab, you’ll meet the:

• Principal investigator, or P.I. for short. These are the head-honchos, the bosses of your lab, and, most likely, your mentor. Although their academic credentials and research experiences may go on and on, most of their time is devoted to administrative aspects of research. The P.I. is the intellectual force behind most projects in the lab, whether they actually do the dirty work or not.
• Postdoctoral associates, assistants, or fellows, who you can call postdocs. These are people who have received their Ph.D. or, in some cases, their M.D. Usually, they’ll be chipping away at a 2 to 5 year training period before sliding into a position as P.I. For the most part, you’ll find them working independently.
• Technicians or research assistants, who are cooler than their title makes them sound. These folks are usually college students who want to get a feel for the lab before diving into graduate or medical school. Technicians are usually responsible for a variety of tasks such as ordering tools, preparing chemicals, or assisting with experiments. As you begin your own research journey, it will most likely be techs that train and assist you with your own project. That said, make sure you get, and stay, on their good side! After all, these guys are the backbone of the lab.
• Graduate students, who are busy doing the lab work required for their M.S. or Ph.D. In most cases, you’ll find them deeply involved with their own projects. Like postdocs, they are particularly independent. But don’t be shy; ask them about their research. You can learn a lot with just a couple friendly questions.
• Rotation students, who exist only because some graduate schools require their students to work in several different labs before they decide on the lab for their thesis work. A rotation student is in the lab anywhere between 6 weeks to 6 months and usually work on a short-term project.
• Summer students, who are usually college students but may include high schoolers. A new student usually tags along with a tech and is kept busy with simple lab chores. A more experienced student may be able to tackle their own small project.
• Secretary or administrative assistant, who is in charge of ordering supplies for the entire lab and may, in addition, organize lab meetings and seminars. These people usually work very closely with the P.I.
• Laboratory safety officer, who’s someone that—you guessed it—is responsible for maintaining the safety of lab procedures. If you have any questions about health, safety, or anything else that may cause you concern, take it up with the safety officer.

During the first week, pretending to be a scientist is just fine.

During those first few days, you’ll feel useless among the dozens of qualified, professional scientists around you. Although you might not be able to get started with an experiment right off the bat, take advantage of your naïveté by asking questions. Take a look at the tools and devices around you, the bottled reagents, the charts, diagrams, and storage boxes. Simple curiosity can lead to a great deal of learning.

Most importantly, introduce yourself to others. Tell them why you joined the lab and what type of sciences interest you. Asking each person about his or her own project is usually a good icebreaker. As you warm up to your lab mates, ask if you can help out with any work they might be doing. However, keep in mind that lab members are devoted to their research, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get red carpet treatment.

Usually, you’ll begin actual lab work after a series of training sessions. One or two lab assistants might be assigned to show you the ropes. They might start by walking you through basic laboratory procedures. Even if the first few simple tasks feel mundane and unnecessary, maintain a good attitude and ask questions. Laboratory training always includes a safety component, which will be specific to your discipline. Take notes whenever possible, not only to keep yourself informed, but to show others that you are indeed motivated.

Take the first week or so to familiarize yourself with how the lab is run, where things are kept, and who does what and when. Doing so is important both for your own safety and for the sake of your own research.

Think of lab meetings as board meetings, minus the bored.

Science is meant to be shared, and lab meetings are the place for sharing. These meetings are usually held on a regular basis by your P.I. or administrative assistant. Current research in the field, recent study results, and organizational issues are all topics that are typically discussed during lab meetings.

Many labs have a weekly journal club meeting, which is a casual discussion on a particular, recently published paper. The paper is often posted a few days prior to the meeting so that lab members have a chance to read and interpret it. Also note that journal club meetings are known to involve free food.

As a beginner in the lab, it is a gesture of respect and interest to attend all lab meetings. Journal club meetings are always a valuable use of time; a lot can be learned from other published papers. The papers themselves usually expand beyond the scope of a lab’s particular research and can thus provide insight into other, but related, fields of study. That said, don’t be afraid to ask for a copy of the journal club article to be covered. Do your best to read and understand the data and, as always, ask questions.

In sum, lab meetings are an efficient way to share information and discuss issues that need addressing. Not to mention, your P.I. may call a lab meeting to introduce you to the rest of the members.

Common sense and courtesy are key.

While you’re in the lab, you’re in the professional world. There’s no room for immaturity or horseplay. That’s not to say the lab can’t be fun; just remember to use proper judgement. If your fellow lab members are fooling around, don’t think of it as permission for you to do the same. Stay polite, calm, and focused. Let your P.I. or administrative assistant know if there is anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.

The unspoken rules are usually the most important. Some courtesies you should keep in mind during your entire research experience:

• Ask, don’t command.
• Don’t assume. Anything.
• Write down everything when someone is giving you instructions.
• Make appointments or request time with people.
• Don’t remove journals or lab notebooks from the document library or lab.
• Don’t discuss a fellow lab member’s results with people not in the lab.
• If you do something wrong, confess.
• Request the minimum of favors.
• Clean.
• Don’t wear a lab coat outside of the lab area.
• Don’t ask questions of someone who is manipulating materials. Make your presence known, and wait until they are ready to respond.
• Don’t read novels, play games, or inappropriately use a computer in the lab.
• Don’t use the phone or photocopy machine for personal reasons.
• Never use chemicals without permission.
• Let someone know when something is running low.
• Don’t ignore broken equipment.
• Keep your personal items separate from the lab space.
• Sanitize, as necessary, after each part of an experiment.
• Know how to help yourself and other lab members in case of an emergency.
• Don’t do anything you feel is unsafe.

So if there’s one thing you ought to remember, it’s to not be a bozo. If you work hard and display your interest, even your superiors will begin to respect you. The former is pretty self-explanatory. Working hard means showing up when you’re supposed to, doing work that’s assigned to you, and having a good attitude toward the opportunities you’ve been given. After all, being able to work in a lab is a special privilege. Similarly, be sure to make your interest apparent to others. The lab-savvies around you love to answer questions, so don’t be shy. Even if you already know the answer to a particular question, ask it! Showing curiosity will only increase your standing among your lab peers. Don’t be passive; the only way you’re going to learn in a lab is by learning actively. 

Your lab notebook is your best friend.

The laboratory notebook is the record you keep of the methods and results of your experiments. All your raw data goes in here, everything you’ve done since Day 1. In essence, it is the single most important tool at your disposal. With it, you can draft papers, plan experiments, build on your results, and brainstorm.

It is essential that your lab notebook be clear and thorough. It is important that one should be able to look back at pages in your notebook and understand exactly what you did at a particular time and why you did it. More importantly, if something goes wrong, you can retrace your steps and figure out exactly what happened. Another scientist should be able to interpret your notes without any help.

Your lab book should be a defense against fraud. It is proof of you who are, as a scientist.

What should you look for in a laboratory notebook? I recommend:

• Large 8.5 by 11″ pages. You should be able to attach photographs or printouts when necessary.
• Bound pages. It should be impossible to rip pages out without destroying the integrity of the book.
• Numbered pages.
• Grid pages. Not blank and not lined.

What goes in your laboratory notebook?

Will your data need to be analyzed statistically in order to be convincing? Sometimes, the numbers you record while experimenting may not be indicative of anything relevant and may require further statistical processing before becoming applicable. Generally, your lab either does or doesn’t do statistical analysis on the data it generates. You will have to decide for yourself whether you will analyze your data.Examples of the uses of statistics in a biological laboratory: